Sheriff Faces Backlash After $176 Million Lawsuit Over Botched Raid

Sheriff Chris Nanos, the embattled lawman leading the Nancy Guthrie investigation, has a new $176 million problem.

Axeel Melendez, 24, is suing Nanos and the Pima County, Arizona, sheriff’s department after deputies shot and paralyzed him while responding to a phony “swatting” call — the second major lawsuit against the department in two weeks.

The shooting happened even though Melendez warned the sheriff’s department that he was being targeted for swatting — and even though he posed no threat at the time, his lawyer said.